


Unwelcome Encounter

by LibraryMage



Series: Superhero AU [1]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Child Abuse, Gen, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26801392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibraryMage/pseuds/LibraryMage
Summary: The memory of Kallus's face has haunted Ezra since the day his parents were arrested.  It doesn't help that the man seems to go out of his way to make Ezra's life hell.
Relationships: Ezra Bridger & Alexsandr Kallus
Series: Superhero AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1175003
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	Unwelcome Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober 2020 prompt: manhandled
> 
> warning for: child abuse, police brutality/harassment, references to parental incarceration

Ezra’s shoulders crept up toward his ears, a pointless attempt to shield himself from the chill in the air. He was leaning casually against the wall of an old brick building, scuffing his toe against the sidewalk, occasionally peering both ways down the street as if looking for someone. Just like any kid waiting for his parents to pick him up.

In reality, he was watching the people on the street, searching for anyone who looked like an easy target. It was harder than it seemed. Anyone carrying a briefcase probably kept their wallet inside it. Same for anyone with a purse. Taking either would get him noticed, which was the exact opposite of what Ezra wanted. With the throbbing pain in his ankle from the fall he’d taken yesterday, he wouldn’t be able to run very far if he was caught.

Finally, he spotted a man walking toward him. He was talking on his phone, and the conversation seemed to be heated. He wouldn’t notice anything Ezra did until it was too late.

Ezra tucked his hands into his pocket, planning to keep them there until the last possible second. Over the years, he’d gotten good at keeping his eyes on his mark even as his head was bowed to make it look like he wasn’t paying attention to anyone else. At this point, it was all second nature.

He was only a few feet from his mark when an unsettling feeling blossomed in the pit of his stomach. He stopped in his tracks, glancing around as he tried to figure out what was wrong. After so long on his own, he’d learned to trust that instinct. It didn’t take him long to spot what had triggered it. Kallus had just rounded the corner up ahead, and his eyes were locked onto Ezra.

Ezra’s hands curled into fists in his pockets, static filling his head. He barely noticed as the man he’d been targeting just seconds before bumped into him. Something squeezed around his heart until he felt like it was about to burst.

_Hard, pinching hands around his arms, holding him back as the blond officer shoved his mom into the back of the police car. A voice telling him it was okay, he was safe now, as if he’d ever been in danger in the first place, the speaker ignoring his screams._

Ezra shook his head. He couldn’t afford to get stuck in the memory right now. Not when Kallus was getting closer by the second. Willing his injured ankle not to fail him, Ezra turned and _ran._

“Stop!”

Ezra just ran faster at the sound of Kallus’s voice, his eyes fixed on the corner at the end of the block. Somehow, he _knew_ Kallus was gaining on him. If he could just make it around the corner, he’d have a few seconds to hide.

He wasn’t even close when Kallus slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Ezra yelped as his face struck the pavement, the skin on his cheek scraping open. Hands seized his arms and dragged him to his feet before shoving him forward against a cement wall.

“I didn’t do anything,” Ezra growled, squirming in Kallus’s grip.

“Stay still.”

Gritting his teeth, Ezra complied as Kallus patted him down. He knew arguing would just get him in more trouble than he was already in. He had to bite down on his tongue to stop himself from saying anything as Kallus’s hand slipped into his pocket, pulling out the few crumpled bills Ezra had on him. Finally, Kallus made him turn around, keeping him backed against the wall with a hand on his shoulder.

“I think it’s safe to assume this is stolen,” he said, holding up the cash he’d taken off of Ezra.

“You can't prove that,” Ezra said, fixing Kallus with a furious glare. He hated Kallus even more than the man hated him.

“Do I need to?”

“I. didn’t. do. anything,” Ezra repeated.

“You were going to,” Kallus said. “And the next time I catch you –”

“You’ll do what?” Ezra snapped. “Assault me again?”

“You think that was assault?” Kallus asked, a sarcastic smirk crossing his face. He took his hand off Ezra’s shoulder and curled it into a fist a spit second before slamming it into Ezra’s stomach.

Ezra doubled over, bracing his hand against the wall as he gasped. Kallus grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back against the wall once again.

“Next time, I'm taking you in,” he said. Finally, he released Ezra, who pressed himself back against the wall, his shoulder aching. “Now, go back to whatever hole you’re hiding in these days. I have better things to do than deal with you.”

As he walked away, Ezra shoved his hands into his pockets. His shoulders shot up toward his ears as he headed in the opposite direction than Kallus had gone. Kallus had made the same threat before, and there was no telling when he would or wouldn’t follow through with it. Sometimes Ezra thought Kallus just liked being able to knock him around, and didn’t arrest him so his favorite target would still be out on the streets.

Ever since his parents had been arrested, Kallus’s face had been burned into his mind. He wasn’t the only cop there that day. There had been more cops in the house than Ezra had ever seen in one place before. But Kallus was the one who’d ripped him out of his mom’s arms. Kallus had also been one of the cops who’d questioned him later, and he’d made it clear he thought Ezra was just as guilty as his parents. His face had haunted Ezra ever since that day.

After the arrest, Kallus had seemed to go out of his way to make Ezra’s life miserable. It had only gotten worse after Ezra ran away from his last foster home. Now, every time Kallus saw him, he made a point to stop Ezra. And they both knew there was nothing Ezra could do about it. He’d learned a long time ago that no one would believe a word he said, and even if they did, they wouldn’t care enough to help.

Ezra pulled his hands out of his pockets, folding them across his chest. He kept glaring down at the ground as he walked. He wished he could turn around, chase Kallus down, and slug him right in his smug face. Pay the bastard back for every time he’d cornered Ezra and roughed him up just because he could.

From somewhere behind him, there was a bark, a growl, and a distinctly human shout. Ezra glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes widening slightly at the sight that greeted him. A large dog was racing at Kallus, a leash trailing behind it. As Ezra watched, it jumped at him, biting at his leg before Kallus kicked it away.

For a moment, Ezra just stood there and watched, a smile flitting across his face as the dog lunged at Kallus again. After a few seconds, he ducked his head and bolted, his ankle throbbing as he raced down the street and turned the corner. If Kallus saw him still hanging around, the bastard would probably find a way to blame him for it.

And for once, he would be right.


End file.
